Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels gets a hug and kiss from his mother, Pat Nickels, following his re-election Tuesday, during a victory celebration at The Club in Manitowoc. / Matthew Apgar/HTR Media

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HTR Media

MANITOWOC — Justin Nickels, 26, has captured a second four-year term as mayor of Manitowoc. City Clerk Jennifer Hudon reported Nickels had 7,184 votes to 1,403 votes for challenger Tony Burgarino.

“It speaks volumes to the fact I believe citizens believe we are headed in the right direction in the city of Manitowoc and they trust me,” said Nickels of his lopsided victory.

The former City Council member, first elected as a teenager, defeated current alderman Dave Soeldner by 17 votes in 2009 for his first term as mayor.

“It is humbling that in four years I’ve been able to show citizens I can lead and make decisions needed for the betterment of the community,” Nickels said.

He said he thanked Burgarino for running and praised his challenger for not just standing on the sidelines and complaining but getting into the electoral arena.

Nickels said there are still many tough decisions awaiting him and the City Council in 2013, especially continuing tight budgets forecast for the next several years.

“While it is balanced, the fiight isn’t over ... there still are a lot of things we have to do to get our finances in order including debt reduction,” Nickels said.

“It may be controversial but we need to reinvest in areas that we cut back drastically, including roads and parks, and we will need to find the money to do that,” Nickels said.

Burgarino, a part-owner of Tony’s Pizza, said running for mayor “was a great thing to do. I enjoyed the challenge ... the fight was fun.

“It was a great battle between the two of us,” Burgarino said of his first try at elective office. “I look at it like a football game and he was a better player than I was.”

Burgarino said he would still work with the city and the mayor to try and create a community development center that would create a pro-business growth environment.

He said the city needs to “get rid of laws on the books” that stifle business development.

Burgarino said Nickels enjoyed the benefit of being an incumbent. “I probably should not have worked during the campaign ... should have taken off from January 2,” Burgarino said.

Investments neeed

Nickels noted that in 2000 the general obligation debt of the city was $28.6 million, which had tripled to nearly $76 million when he was elected to mayor in 2009. He He has touted a debt reduction plan that would cut debt in half by 2018. “It is fiscally responsible, and it still invests in infrastructure, roads, parks and quality of life,” Nickels stated.

The mayor noted finances have been stabilized by cutting almost $4 million out of the general fund during his first term. Tight budgets forced the cutting of more than 50 positions out of a municipal workforce of about 275.

Nickels said both the public and private sectors of the city have made investments over the years leading to Forbes magazine naming Manitowoc the second best small city in America to raise a family.

“We focused on education, public safety, cleanliness and recreation ... over the next four years we need to work together, as mayor, council and citizens to reinvest in those quality of life aspects that make our community a great place to live, work and play,” Nickels stated.

One particular project is to clean up Red Arrow Park-Beach this summer.